Sell a House With Tenants in Ontario

Q: Do the tenants have to move out before I sell?

No. We buy occupied properties. The tenancy continues and transfers to us at closing. You do not give notice and you do not start an eviction.

Q: My tenant is behind on rent. Can you still buy?

Yes. We account for the arrears in the offer and take on the situation after closing. You are not expected to resolve it first.

Q: What happens to the last-month deposit?

It transfers to us as the new landlord, along with the lease, and is credited to the tenant’s final month as normal. Your lawyer handles the adjustment on the statement of adjustments.

Q: Can I sell just one unit of a multiplex?

We buy whole properties. If you own a duplex, triplex, or small multi-unit building with tenants in some or all units, we buy it with the tenancies in place.

Selling a rental on the open market usually means showings around tenant schedules, buyers who only want a vacant unit, and pressure to end a tenancy you may not be able to end. PrivateDeals buys tenanted properties directly. The tenancy continues, we take it on at closing, and you are not responsible for serving notice or starting an eviction.

No commissions or fees

Written offer in 24–48 hours

Close in 7 days to 6 months

Get my cash offer (647) 333-0170

Red-brick semi-detached house with separate entrances, typical of a tenanted rental property

Ontario at a glance

60 days

Minimum notice on an N12 when a buyer wants to move in

Landlord and Tenant Board, N12 instructions

1 month

Of rent owed to the tenant as compensation for an N12

Landlord and Tenant Board, N12 instructions

3 units

Maximum building size for a purchaser’s own-use N12

Landlord and Tenant Board, N12 instructions

How it works

Tell us about the tenancy

Rent, whether it is a fixed-term or month-to-month lease, the deposit, and whether the tenant is current or in arrears. We factor all of that into the offer.

We view the property

One visit, arranged with proper notice to the tenant under the Residential Tenancies Act. We do not need repeated showings.

Written offer

Usually within 24 to 48 hours. The offer accounts for the in-place rent and the state of the unit.

The tenancy transfers at closing

The lease and any deposit move to us as the new owner. You do not give the tenant notice, and you do not start an eviction as a condition of the sale.

Hand holding a set of keys with a house keychain inside a rental unit

What the Residential Tenancies Act means for a sale

In Ontario, selling a property does not end a tenancy. A new owner steps into the existing lease and inherits the rent, the deposit, and the tenant’s rights. A landlord can only give an N12 notice for a purchaser who in good faith intends to move in themselves or move in a close family member, and that notice comes with compensation and strict rules. PrivateDeals buys as an investor, so we are not asking you to give any notice. If your tenant is in arrears, that is our problem to deal with after closing, not a reason we walk away.

This page is general information about the Residential Tenancies Act, not legal advice. Landlords and tenants should get their own advice from a lawyer or from the Landlord and Tenant Board about a specific tenancy.

Listing instead? On the average Ontario home, a realtor costs about $35,655.

Commission at 4% plus 13% HST. See the number for your home’s price.

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